


Like A Star

by codedcyborg



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Friendship, Galra and Altean Keith, Insecurity, Light Angst, Self-Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 01:38:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9359930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/codedcyborg/pseuds/codedcyborg
Summary: You've heard of Galra Keith. You've heard of Altean Keith. But what about Galra AND Altean Keith?





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Secret Santa gift to Dark! Check out their Galra/Altean Keith ask blog that gave me the idea to write this: (ask-galra-altean-keith on Tumblr)!

_“Keith! What are you doing?” Shiro yelled desperately. “We’re in the middle of a battle! You can’t just fly off like this!”_

_Keith wasn’t good at listening to orders, and everyone who had met the kid knew this. His personality was like a flame, rebellious, free, and uncontrollable._

_“Keith! Listen to Shiro! This is too dangerous to do alone!” Allura’s voice called through the speakers of his lion. “I know you’re an amazing pilot, but-”_

_Muted. He didn’t need people bossing him around. He never did._

_He didn’t know why he had such a stubborn streak. He just did. Living alone does that to you; it makes you want to do things on your own terms, without the interference of others._

_Keith roughly turned the controls of his lion and made it make a sharp turn downward, forcing it to barrel at the impending hoard Galra soldiers who were already shooting at the red paladin, trying to take him down. He released a battle cry as he slammed into his attackers, yanking up the controls just before he would’ve hit the ground._

_Allura was right about one thing. He was an amazing pilot._

_The red-clad teenager cockily maneuvered between gunshots, laser strikes, and everything in between as he continued to fight against his enemies, not giving a second thought before doing death-defying stunt after death-defying stunt. Using his laser, Keith obliterated oncoming ships, and using his lion’s speed, he evaded all attempts at an attack towards him with ease. He shone like a star in the midst of the partially-trained (at best) Galra. The Galra Empire probably was now rushing their training regime as Voltron became more and more of a threat, only to have their weaker soldiers shot down in flames. But Keith, no. Keith had the potential to become a piloting legend._

“You’re too reckless, Keith! You almost got Pidge killed out there!” Lance snapped. 

“I did not!” Keith replied defensively, more than a bit of edge to his voice. 

“I was fine! You were the one who almost got your ass fried!” Pidge retorted. 

The blue-clad paladin scoffed at her words. “Who was in danger was not the point! The point is that Keithy-boy over here needs to check where he’s pointing that goddamn laser of his!” 

“Well, you know what? Whatever! We’re back on the ship, so what does it matter?” 

“What matters, Keith, is that one day, some one’s going to get hurt! And it’s going to be all on you!” Lance said, storming off. 

Noticing Keith’s desolate expression, Shiro stepped forward and gently rested a hand on the red paladin’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s alright. He’s just still in the heat of the battle. But-” Shiro’s voice wavered slightly as he continued. “-try to be more careful next time.”

_Some one’s going to get hurt. And it’s going to be all on you._

He would never purposely hurt anyone he cared about. But, maybe Lance was right. Maybe he was a danger to the team. Maybe...maybe he should just leave. A second, unspoken reason also lingered in his mind. 

Sneaking out of the castle was the easy part. Everyone else in the castle would be sleeping, and Keith was fairly stealthy when needed. Getting off the planet, though, would be a must more difficult task. He didn’t want to take Red, as the galaxy still needed saving, and either Allura or Coran could take over his position. 

He would miss his team. But he needed to go, just like how the left the Garrison. He didn’t want to see anyone hurt. Not again. 

_There were some things that you just needed to keep secret. Things you couldn’t reveal. Things you shouldn’t reveal. Deep, dark things about yourself that others should never know. For both their safety, and yours._

_That’s what Keith told himself every day. If the other paladins found out about his, well, little secret, he wouldn’t know what would happen. Maybe, hopefully, they would accept him. But, in a likelier stance, they would not. Maybe they wouldn’t be apparent about it. Maybe they would say “Oh, it’s not your fault!” or “We still love you!” to his face, but then, behind his back, they would show their true feelings about the situation._

_It had happened before. There was a reason that he lived alone for so many years. There was a reason that he left the Garrison, and it certainly wasn’t because he was too “rebellious”. That’s the rumors that Lance and Hunk said that the students had spread about his disappearance. He wasn’t popular, in fact, he was a major dork, although he played it off quite well as being “edgy” and “mysterious”. Being a loser or being the edgiest kid in class didn’t give you the “popular” status, though, no matter which vibes people got from you. The only reason that he was known at all was because he was the best pilot in his class._

_But, after one incident, it all changed._

He went outside to stare upon the stars. They were so far away, yet so close. He related to them. They’re beautiful beings, but at any moment, they could just explode and kill everyone nearby in the process. 

He shuddered at the thought. 

Despite their symbolic reference to his very being, Keith continued to gaze upon the stars. Their glimmer made him at home; they made him feel like he was back on Earth. The strangest thing was that Keith didn’t have anything, or, anyone to look forward to if he ever went back to the planet. He didn’t even belong there. 

You see, Keith wasn’t exactly human. He never was. He was an alien, but even a freak from an alien perspective. He had always known he wasn’t normal, but, when he went into space, he realized exactly what he was. 

Keith was half-Altean, half-Galra.

With the exception of Keith, Shiro was the only one knew of this. He was the one who helped the paladin come to terms with who he was. Even through his dire hatred for who he was made him feel a strong desire to keep it under wraps, he still needed someone to confide in. He had told him a few weeks after the were reacquainted and launched into space. 

_“Shiro?”_

_“Yes, Keith?”_

_“What am I?”_

_“Well, I’d assume you’re human. Isn’t that right?”_

_“No, I’m not a human. I know that already.”_

_“Keith...what makes you think that? From all I’ve seen of you, you seem fairly human to me.”_

_“Shiro, do you promise not to...uh...freak out?”_

_“What would…’freak out’, Keith? Should I be concerned?” Shiro extended his hand towards Keith’s face, cocking his own head slightly. He batted it away._

_“I think I’m part Altean.”_

_“Keith, that’s...quite the assumption. Are you sure?”_

_“And...that’s not all. I also think I’m,” the red paladin halted in his speech and hung his head before uttering the next two words. “...part Galra.”_

_“Part Altean and part Galra? Keith, that’s..a pretty big deal. That is..if you’re telling the truth.”_

_“No, wait! I can prove it to you!”_

_“Alright. But, you should probably show me...” He nodded his head towards Coran, Pidge, and Hunk, who were loudly talking about mechanics just a few feet away. “...somewhere else.”_

_Shiro's reaction was better than he expected, that’s for sure. After he had transformed and showed the black paladin his true form, he was shocked beyond belief, yes, but he was willing to listen. He was willing to understand. And, that’s all he ever wanted from someone._

He continued to look into the sky, his breaths deep and meaningful, his eyes reflecting the gentle glow of the stars. 

Maybe, just maybe, one day, he could tell the others. 

Keith grasped his bag in his hands and walked away from the castle. He hoped that in a while, he would be reunited with his friends. But, for the time being, he needed to be alone. That’s how he worked best, anyway.


End file.
